Fifty ways to leave your lover
by reddevilpoes
Summary: Ianto realizes jack is gone after Abbadon.Please not I do not own any of the used lyrics by Paul Simon or the Torchwood characters. I just have them running around my brain and will deliver them home safely after playing with them.


"_The problem is all inside your head", she said to me_

"_The answer is easy if you take it logically_

_I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free_

_There must be fifty ways to leave your lover"_

_She said:"It's really not my habit to intrude_

_Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued._

_But I'll repeat myself, at the risk of being crude._

_There must be fifty ways to leave your lover._

This was not the way things were supposed to go. It was wrong, so very wrong in so very many ways.

The lyrics of the Paul Simon song kept pushing themselves to the front of his thoughts. Just an hour ago he was the happiest man in Wales. Jack, his Jack, was back.

For days Ianto had worried, it never took Jack so long to come back from the dead. He had started to fear this would be that one time that his lover would really stay dead.

_Just slip out the back, Jack._

A happy whoop from Tosh had brought him to believe in miracles again as Jack, supported by Gwen, walked towards them. And as Jack pulled him into an embrace, holding him close, the older man had kissed him in front of the whole team. Not just a welcome kiss, no, a real lover's snog.

_Make a new plan, Stan._

Unspoken promises and unsaid words hovering between them, the startled gazes of the team upon them. Ianto knew he would have to endure a lot of snide remarks from Owen about 'shagging the boss', but it would be worth it.

There was a future for him and Jack and even if they had their difficulties and even if Torchwood was a dangerous place to live and love…they had a chance.

_You don't need to be coy, Roy_

_Just listen to me._

They would talk and things would be alright between them, finally.

Then it all went to hell in a handbasket. Jack wanted coffee and they went out to get some as the coffeemaker got severily damaged in the process of opening the rift. Some sins were punished almost immediately..

When they got back the hub was deserted, it looked like another battle had just taken place and Jack was nowhere to be found.

_Hop on the bus, Gus_

_You don't need to discuss much._

Ianto watched the CCTV footage found by Tosh again and again: Jack running across the Plass, it seemed he was shouting something at the top of his lungs.

The end was always the same: the Captain hurled himself toward something, disappeared into thin air and nothing was left, nothing…emptiness…

_Just drop off the key, Lee_

_And get yourself free_

Gwen sat herself beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, pet" she crooned, " he will come back to us, he always comes back."

But Ianto detected the same feelings of doubt in her and muttered " He could have left us a note."

_She said it grieves me so to see you in such pain_

_I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again._

_I said I appreciate that and would you please explain_

_About the fifty ways_

Owen huffed behind them: " Is the copper bothering you, teaboy? We're off to the pub, wanna join us?"

Ianto declined and started a new search for more CCTV footage. After a couple of minutes Tosh joined him and said: "I think he found his Doctor. "

He looked at her, startled. "Did you know? " he asked. Tosh explained she overheard the question asked by Gwen about what would make Jack open the rift and his answer "The right Doctor."

The young Welshman sank back in his chair, Jack had found what he was looking for, he would never come back, not ever.

Tosh hugged him. " Will you be alright? Do you want me to stay and help you search?"

"I will close up and go home, " Ianto said. " Jack is not coming back."

_She said why don't we both just sleep on it tonight_

_And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light_

_And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right_

_There must be fifty ways to leave your lover._

As the cog door closed behind Tosh and the song in his head started to reach its end, Ianto realized he could think of a fifty –plus-one way to be left by a lover…He just couldn't find the words to rhyme with "Ianto".


End file.
